My next endeavor:

A modern masterpiece.

From the age of five I have played and studied music, most of which would be considered classical music. Although I was made to learn, recognise, analyse and discuss a plethora of pieces by an innumerable amount of composers, well-known and otherwise, I was never a fan of this particular music. Classical music gave me a headache.
In more recent times I have had an ever increasing admiration for the music scored for film, also known as soundtracks. I'm not talking about films like Bridget Jones' Diary using songs like 'All by myself' (an already famous pop song). I'm referring to the enigmatic film scores that are crafted specifically for use in films. It is these pieces that I would refer to as the masterpieces of our time. In the previous centuries, it was the likes of Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach etc that produced the pièce de résistance of their time, however with the technological boom of the 20th Century it was only natural that the world of music would also be revolutionised.
The production of masterpieces has now been left up to brilliance of Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, Rachel Portman, Gustavo Santaolalla, James Horner, Thomas Newman, Yann Tiersen.


A few soundtracks you simply must hear:
- The last Samurai

- Man on Fire
- The Chronicles of Narnia
- The Motorcycle Diaries
- Batman Begins
- Avatar
- Chocolat
- Amélie & Goodbye Lenin

Of course, watch the films while you're at it :)

What influences you?

A really interesting video talking about what makes someone/something an 'influencer'.

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION (FR) from R+I creative on Vimeo.

(Re-post from a friend's blog.)

"I wish that I was born a thousand years ago

I wish that I'd sailed the darkened seas

On a great big clipper ship

Going from this land here to that

Ah, in a sailor's suit and cap

Away from the big city

Where a man can not be free

Of all of the evils of this town

And of himself, and those around"

Velvet Underground -Heroin

Image: Source

Music has a certain power, it is inexplainable and affects everybody in their own way. The significance that this form of art has on me is immeasurable. Not only that, but I feel that no matter how much I say or write my words are inadequate to explain it in a way that does it justice. Having been surrounded in music from a very young age via the piano and various other instruments its really brings joy to my heart seeing the genuine musical abilities of those around me.

An example of such soul-stirring music is by a friend of mine, Arlen Yanch, whom I met whilst serving at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Not only is his an incredible pianist, but the compositions linked below (click the photo) are just incredible!

"The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul and spirit.

Through the power and charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted."

- A Compilation on Baha'i Education, Pages 56-57

Laundromat-o-mine

[This post has been published a year later than planned]

Who would've have thought doing my laundry would always be such an adventure?

Once a week (or perhaps a stretch more) I lugged my basket down the windy path through the snow-blanketed Kapelvej courtyard, across the street, making my way to my laundromat. Each time I am greeted by a different encounter. But the one that I will never forget is the one that happened most recently. Usually there are a couple of people in there, Danish, Middle Eastern, Northern African for the most part. The Danes do their part as the non-involved/ head down/ don't acknowledge your existence character. The Middle Eastern is usually a covered woman with several children running around and the Northern African steals glances at you when they think you're not looking.

Why am I talking about this?

When I was there yesterday, I must have given the impression that I was lost or didn't know how to operate the machines - its been a few months, I have it down pat. But this sweet lady, I think she was Iraqi, came and tried to explain it to me. She didn't understand English, I don't understand Arabic, and neither of us spoke a word of Danish. And yet she was so determined to teach me. In the midst of the chaos her children were causing, she managed, by speaking loudly, repeating the same Arabic sentences over and again, with dramatic hand gestures to get her message across. And after all her much appreciated efforts, all I could say in response was "Tak" (Thank you in Danish). She gave me the most warm-hearted smile I have ever gotten and then turned away, told off her children and continued on with her mountain load of washing. I never saw her again.

On the walk back to my flat, trudging through the snow in my chucks (not advisable), I found myself thinking about how different that could have been if we spoke the same language. Maybe she wasn't just talking about how to turn the dryer on. Maybe we could've had a few laughs and she could've told me some thing about her life and me about mine. Not this time Natasha, you can't be friends with everyone.

In all my travels over the past few months it couldn't be more blatantly clear how important language is in all our interactions with other humans and the urgent need for a universal language. Perhaps this is too big an ask for the time being. There are a lot of other pressing matters in the world at current that take precedence over address this social barrier for now but I think its certainly something that deserves more thought. It would certainly remove the issue of communication being lost in translation..

Oltremare

This little piece of Ludovico's magic gets me every time:

Although my consistency leaves much to be desired, I am in the process of learning this piece. Slowly, but surely, I will get there :)

nb. Oltremare is 'overseas' in Italian

Just brush it off.

- the wisest words I ever heard, and forgot for too long.

I forgot what it was to just forget and let go of people and the things they do that may hurt of bother me because at the end of the day, I would hope, they aren't personal attacks. Which brings me to a favourite quote of mine:

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle"

If there is anything I have learnt in the past couple years, it is that the people you interact with (particularly in the work place) will always be your biggest test. If we were to all take into consideration that everyone has their own 'battles' that they are facing, perhaps we would be more tactful in our behaviour towards one another and to just let go of the insignificant things we tend to get caught up on.

Before I digress I will end with this:

"..strive ye with heart and soul to practice love and kindness to the world of humanity at large.." - Baha'i Writings

My aim from now: just brush it off.

How, or when, or from where.

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms,

but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers.

Thanks to your love a certain fragrance,

risen darkly from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,

I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride,

so I love you because I know no other way than this:

where "I" does not exist, nor "you,"

So close that your hand on my chest is my hand,

So close that your eyes close and I fall asleep.

-Pablo Neruda

Image: Source

Heart cleanser.

"He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth.."

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, CXXV

About me, about you.

On reading someone's "About me" section, I came across this:

"Nobody knows anything about you. You're like this normal person and heaps of fun and we all feel like we know you, but then when we think about it we're like 'what does she do?' and 'who does she sleep with?' and 'where does she go when she disappears?'

And suddenly we realise you're a mystery."

For some reason, it resonates.

In other news, I found a reason to love my iphone: the Hipsmatic App.

It can take photos like this:

Months after discarding my trusty old Nokia, tonight I decided to go through it and look for anything on there worth keeping. I came across a note saying "Wim mertens". I could only assume this was something music-oriented but I had no recollection of why/where this had come, from but thanks for technology, more specifically youtube, I was able to solve my own mini-mystery:

"Soon will your swiftly-passing days be over, and the fame and riches, the comforts, the joys provided by this rubbish-heap, the world, will be gone without a trace."

- Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá pg 3

Swedish Playlist

On the never-ending road of musical discovery, it became apparent that a fair proportion of the music I listen to these days is by Swedish artists - The Swedes are taking over!

Not to mention Robyn, Eric Prydz, Basshunter, Axwell and of course we all remember The Cardigans.

The Seventy-Sixth night

Since you left me, home is no longer home,

Nor is the neighbor neighbor, since you went away,

Nor is the friend who kept me company

The friend I knew, nor is the day bright day,

Nor are the sun and moon that shone with light

The same, for they will never shine again.

In desolation you have left the world,

In gloomy darkness, every field and plain.

O, may the crow that at our parting crowed

His feathers lose and without' shelter stand.

My patience fails; my body wastes away

How many veils are torn by death's cruel hand!

I wonder, will our nights come back again,

And will the old home once more hold us twain?

Image: Source

Spiritual Recuperation

Today marked the first day of the Bahá'í Fast. The last 19 days (one Baha'i month) of the Bahá'í year all the Baha'is around the world undertake a period of fasting, from sunrise to sunset. The Bahá'í Faith sees great value in the practice of fasting as a discipline for the soul. "It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires." (Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian (New Delhi: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1973), pp. 27-28.)

"Fasting is the cause of awakening man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases. This is produced by the fact that man's thoughts will be confined to the commemoration of God, and through this awakening and stimulation surely ideal advancements follow... Fasting is of two kinds, material and spiritual. The material fasting is abstaining from food or drink, that is, from the appetites of the body. But spiritual, ideal fasting is this, that man abstain from selfish passions, from negligence and from satanic animal traits. Therefore, material fasting is a token of the spiritual fasting. That is: `O God! As I am fasting from the appetites of the body and not occupied with eating and drinking, even so purify and make holy my heart and my life from aught else save Thy Love, and protect and preserve my soul from self-passions... Thus may the spirit associate with the Fragrances of Holiness and fast from everything else save Thy mention."

- Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 3, p. 305.

Enough said :)

Invictus

I just finished watching the film, Invictus, which follows the story of Nelson Mandela's first days as the President of the South Africa at the time that South Africa hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The title of the film comes from a poem by William Ernest Henley that was written in 1875. In the film Mandela refers to this poem as what motivated him, when he was incarcerated in Roben Island Prison, to "stand when all he wanted to do was lie down".

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

~ William Ernest Henley

Although in reality it was not this exact piece of writing that Mandela handed to the Captain of the South Africa Rugby team, Francois Pienaar, the poem itself deserves some attention. Definitely a wall hanger.

Everything I have blogged so far is of no importance.

As I sit here, these are 7 Iranian Baha'is are sitting in the Evin Prison (Tehran, Iran), as they have been doing so since their arrests in March and May 2008, awaiting their fate.

Their crime: Being Baha'i and Belief in Baha'u'llah.
Only today, after almost TWO years, their trial began. I ask for your prayers that they recieve the justice deserved by every single human being.

For more information on the situation surrounding the arrests and the trial that is now underway follow this link: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/01/12/Iran.bahai.trial/

Reader's digest

Having grown up as quite the book worm, the past few months of near constant travel have necessitated a wide selection of books to occupy all those 'in-between' times. And although I am a great Harry Potter fan and I finally caved and read Twilight (much to my disappointment), the rest of the books have not, for the most part, been bestsellers. And it just so happens that I found an article in The Economist which summerizes my point much better than I could myself. Just to quote:

"A lot of the people who read a bestselling novel, for example, do not read much other fiction. By contrast, the audience for an obscure novel is largely composed of people who read a lot. That means the least popular books are judged by people who have the highest standards, while the most popular are judged by people who literally do not know any better. An American who read just one book this year was disproportionately likely to have read “The Lost Symbol”, by Dan Brown. He almost certainly liked it."

Now, I'm not saying that I necessarily have the highest standards, but it's always nice to think of oneself as a little above those who ONLY read The Lost Symbol :)

The rest of the article is also definitely worth at least a glance.


Source: The Economist

Coffee for fortune

It seemed like a good idea at the time, drinking a cup of Turkish coffee to have my 'fortune' read. Perhaps I should've taken the time into consideration. It’s now almost 4 am and I'm still buzzing from my 10pm caffeine intake.

And after all the heart palpitations, this is what I learned of my future:

• I am too caught up in my dreams that I forget to live the present
  
• My future plans (near and distant) are going to be very busy and chaotic (story of my life)
• There is someone in my life that is begging for my forgiveness - down on their hands and knees!
  

Now, considering the last 6 months of my life have been a rollercoaster ride of semi-organised chaos, the prospect of a continuation of this hecticness is a little more than I can handle. As for the forgiveness business, anyone who knows me at all knows that I don't hold grudges and hence don't even need to be asked for forgiveness. And finally, dreamer I have always been, dreamer will I always be.

In conclusion, Turkish coffee --> fortune telling = no 'light' shed = sleepless night = (hate to say it) EPIC FAIL.

Let me occupy your mind